Left in touch with regional parties to forge third front: CPI leader D Raja

BANGALORE: Rebutting suggestions that third front is a failed idea, CPI leader D Raja said on Thursday Left parties are in touch with regional and centrist outfits to work out pre-poll seat adjustments for the LokSabha elections to project a non-UPA and non-NDA alternative to the people.

"We are in touch with regional parties and centrist forces," the CPI National Secretary and Rajya Sabha member told reporters here, adding, based on "balance of political forces and specific situation" in states, tactical electoral line would be evolved.

The Left parties would strive to bring together non-BJP ( NDA) and non-Congress ( UPA) forces and try to project and provide a viable alternative to the people, Raja said. Left parties would try to work out some electoral adjustments with regional parties and other centrist parties.

Raja, who was responding to senior BJP leader Arun Jaitley's comment that the third front is a failed idea, said such an alternative is quite possible.

He also termed the four years in office of UPA-II as a "failure". "There is nothing to celebrate". The Congress-led UPA-II has mismanaged the economy, with growth declining in industrial, manufacturing and services sectors.

Only corporates and big business houses have benefited during the last four years making huge profits, while common people were subjected to more and more economic hardships with subsidies being slashed, he said.

"This government is a failure," he claimed. "The country is shocked by scams one after other. Prime Minister and PMO stand accused and it has shattered their credibility. Credibility of the government stands thoroughly exposed."